Crank-shaft costhectiokt fob ewgihes



C. B. AND J. T. DODGE.

CRANK SHAFT CONNECTION FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1919,

1,341,709. Patented June l, 1920.

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C. B. AND J. T. DODGE.

CRANK SHAFT CONNECTION FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3I- I919,

' Patented June 1,1920.

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I II C. B. AND J. T. DODGE. CRANK SHAFT CONNECTIDN FDR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MVAY3I- T919,

Patented June 1, 1920.

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CHARLES B. DODGE AND JAMES T. DODGE, OF MORSE BLUFF, NEBRASKA.

CRANK-SHAFT CONNECTION FOR ENGINES.

Appliaczion filed 31,

- ToaZZ whom it may concern:

' States, residing at Morse Bluff, in the county of Saunders and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crank-Shaft Connections for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to the eight cylinder two cycle type.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an engine of the character described wherein the cylinders are disposed vertically and in pairs and operating two independent crank shafts, said crank shafts being so connected as to give a balance thrust under all conditions.

By such a construction the obstacles encountered in the usual V-shaped multiple cylinder engines are avoided such as the uneven wearing of the parts due to the force of gravity acting on the piston heads and causing them to wear on one side, this uneven wearing of the piston heads and cylinder valves in V-shaped type causes the loosing of the pistons within the cylinders which results in the escape of the products of combustion and consequent loss of power. It is to overcome this objectionable feature and at the same time to afford a continuous balanced power delivery superior to any in steadiness of operation that this invention is conceived.

Another object of the invention is to connect the crank shafts in timed relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engine that may be used for either a central indirect drive or a side and direct drive, this last mentioned feature being particularly desirable in four wheel driven vehicles.

With these and other objects in view which may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportions and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limiting the improvements, in their useful applica- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1926.

Serial E0. 301,649.

tions, to the particular constructions, which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration in the said drawings Figure l is a plan view of the crank shafts and connecting rods with the .top of the crank casing removed.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the crank mechanism with parts of the crank casing broken away.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the crank mecha nism with the central drive gear omitted, illustrating the application of the invention to side driven vehicles.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a crank casing of any preferred form in which are journaled in parallel relation crank shafts 2 and 3. Suitably secured to the upper portion of the crank casing l are cylinders 4 in which operate pistons 5 connected with crank arms 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the shafts 2 and 3 by piston rods 14, 15, 16, 17,.

18, 19, 20 and 21. Only two of these cylinders are shown in Fig. 3 but it will be understood that there are four of such cylinders at each side of the engine, their positions be ing indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In order that power may be transmitted equally to the said shafts there are provided connecting rods 22, 23, 24 and 25 connected at their ends with cranks 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 whereby said shafts are connected for the mutual transmission of power.

Suitably secured at the ends of the crank shafts 2 and 3 are drive gears 34 and 35 which mesh with and drive a centrally located gear 36 mounted upon a main drive shaft 37 At the other extremities of the crank shafts 2 and 3 are mounted gears 38 and 39 which are suitably geared to cam shafts 40 and 41.

Referring to the position of the parts which are correspondingly shown in all of the figures, the crank 6 is formed with one arm 42 extending horizontally inwardly and the other arm 43 extending upwardly and outwardly at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with the horizontal, and which also forms the arm of the next succeeding connecting crank 26 upon which is journaled the connecting rod 22. An arm 44 of the crank 26 extends downwardly and outwardly at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees with the horizontal and which also forms one arm of the piston rod crank 7. An arm as of the crank 7 extends inwardly and horizontally and forms one arm of the crank 27 upon which one end of the connecting rod 23 is mounted. The other arm 46 of the crank 27 extends outwardly and horizontally to the axis of the crank shaft. One arm 47 of the piston crank 8 extends horizontally outward and the other arm 4L8 extends inwardly and downwardly at an angle of forty-five degrees with the horizontal and forms one arm of th *onnecting rod crank :28. The other arm 49 of the said connecting rod crank extends upwardly and inwardly at an angle of forty-live degrees with the horizontal and forms one arm of the piston crank 9. The other arm 50 of the said piston crank extends horizontally outward and forms one arm of the connecting rod crank 29, the other arm 51 of which extends horizontally inward to the axis of the crank shaft 2.

Referring to crank shaft 3 the piston crank 10 is formed with one arm 51 which extends vertically downward and the other arm '12 of which extends vertically upward and forms one arm of the connecting rod crank 30 which also carries as indicated at 11 the piston rod 19, the other arm 53 of which extends downwardly and outwardly at an angle of fortydive degrees with the horizontal and forms one arm of the connecting rod crank 31. The arm of the said piston crank extends horizontally in ward to the axis of the crank shaft 3. An arm 55 of the piston crank 12 extends vertically upward and the other arm 56 of which extends vertically downward and forms one arm of the connecting rod crank 32, upon which is also mounted as indicated I at 13 the piston rod 21. The other arm 57 of the crank 32 extends upwardly and inwardly at an angle of forty-five degrees with the horizontal and forms one arm of the connecting rod crank 33, the other arm 58 of which extends horizontally outward to the axis of the crank shaft 3.

Vi e claim:

1. In an engine, two sets of parallel cylinders of four cylinders each, crank shafts for the cylinders, piston rod bearings, connecting rod bearings located between each piston rod bearing and its neighbor, and four reciprocating connecting rods connecting the crank shafts to synchronize the motion of said shafts, the connecting rods bearranged so that each connecting rod is always one quarter of a revolution removed in position from the neighboring umnecting rod to give a balanced power delivery, the effect of motion of each connecting rod being exactly balanced by the motion of the other connecting rods.

2. In an engine, sets of parallel cylinders having an equal number of cylinders ineach set, crank shafts for the cylinders, piston rod bearings, connecting rod bearings located between each of the piston rod bearings and its neighbor, and reciprocating connecting rods of a number equal 'to that of the cylinders in a single set connecting he crank shafts to synchronize the motion of said shafts, the connecting rods being so arranged that each connecting rod is always on equal factional part of a revolution removed in position from the neighboring connecting rod to give a balanced power'delivery, the effect of motion of each connecting rod being exactly balanced by :the effect f the motion of the other connecting rods.

in testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

CHARLES B. DODGE. JAMES T. DODGE. 

